How to Create and Install Wainscoting?

Answer 1

Step One: Visit a home store and decide what style of wainscoting you want. Panels are usually 4 x 8-ft sheets and wainscoting is usually 45" from the floor (including base moldings and top railings). They are available either as prefinished or ready-to-finish products.

Step Two: Determine the number of panels you will need by measuring the perimeter of your room and then divide by the width of the wainscot panels. If the result is an odd number, round up to get an extra panel.

Step Three: Bring the wainscoting paneling into the house when you get it and allow it to acclimatize to your home for a few days before beginning installation. Wainscoting is a wood product that will expand and contract with moisture and temperature, so it's best to let it move before installing it.

Step Four: Clear everything off the walls in the room, including switch plates and outlet covers. If possible remove all the furniture and carpets to give yourself space to work. If that's not possible, move everything to the center of the room and cover it.

Step Five: Remove all of the existing baseboards and any molding on the walls. Use a stud finder to locate (see "How to Locate a Wall Stud"), then mark where they are in the wall. This will be really helpful when it's time to do your top and base molding.

Step Six: Measure up 42 1/2" from the floor. Using the level, mark a level line all around the room. Floors are rarely level so coming up 42 1/2" will make sure the top of your wainscot is level all around the room. Base moldings will cover any discrepancies at the bottom and the top/chair rail will raise the overall height to around 45".

Step Seven: Start in a corner. Install the first panel 1/16" from the corner and make sure the top is level with your line. You can use either panel adhesive or paneling nails to install your panels. If you are nailing, remember you will need to set every nail and fill the holes after the panels are hung and finished. A compressor nail gun makes a good alternative, since it drives and sets the nail at the same time.

Step Eight: Work your way around the room applying the panels 1/16" apart and with the tops even with the level line. If one of the panels falls over an electrical outlet, you will need to measure where the panel hits the outlet and cut the panel to accommodate it.

Step Nine: Place caulking in the gaps between the panels. This will allow the panels to move with changes in temperature. Later, finishing the caulking the same color as the wainscoting will make it virtually invisible.

Step Ten: Install your new baseboards.

Answer 2

I bought my house a year or so ago and found the owners panneled the whole house because the plaster walls were in bad shape, YUCK dark panneling in the whole first floor.

I decited I had to lighten up the house but also have kids and pets. What to do??
I bought a nice chair rail molding, painted the top half of the walls in a very light color to match the decor, and then deep contrast color in the same family on the bottom half.

example my carpet in my living room is almost hunter green so bottom of wall is a deep dark hunter green (does not show little hand prints, and top half of the room is a faint tinge of green almost white.

looks wainscoated without the wood...lol
hope this helps

Answer 3

Too many long answers. Hire a contractor to do it, or, faux paint the wainscot on the walls yourself!

Answer 4

The first answer is excellent, but you may not need or want too do what has been suggested.

Create is subjective and relative. Why not purchase a style and material you want from a home improvement store?

Installation can be either with a construction grade, tube adhesive, IE: Liquid Nails,,, or a brad nailer.

Not all Waiscote need be used to top off half sheets of any type paneling (Although I'm doing that at my own house now)

It need not even be strictly functional, but just decorative, dividing and defining two halves of a wall.

Beyond that, finishing is totally a personal choice.

Steven Wolf

Answer 5

here is very useful information about wainscoting installing

Answer 6

Hi
let get this right
Wainscoting: is done with molding and panelling
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=HomeDecor/WainsCot.html
or
http://www.extremehowto.com/xh/article.asp?article_id=60214

Beadboard:
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/knowhow/weekendprojects/article/0,16417,221855-2,00.html